Paper-plaiting device.



H. A. HGUSE.. PAPER PLAITING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED M'AY 23",V 1910.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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fm- Arrows/Ey H. A. HOUSE PAPER PLAITING DEVICE,

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2s, 1910.`

Patented @11.12, 1915.

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` WTNESSES:

i3 Arrofwfy H. A. HoUsE. PAPER PLAIT'ING DEVICE.

1l.,124.,61.y Patented .12.11.12, 1915,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

i plaiting blanks to form -description of the invention,

' tions.

HENRY A. HOUSE, 0F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

PAPER-PLAITING DEVICE.

Application filed May 23, 1

To all 4whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY A. HOUSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-4 I do hereby declare full, clear, and exact such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates tov a device for paper cups and cartons of like character, and it consists in certain details of construction to be more fully set forth in the following specifica- Plaiting Devices; and the following to be a drawings Figure 1 Referring to the front elevation of the represents a reduced Specification of Letters Patent.

upper plaiter fingers in openposition, and i the mechanism for operating the same; Fig. 2 is a broken view partly in section of' Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a reduced front elevation of the plaiter ring carrying the lower plaiter fingers, and broken view of the receiving die; Fig. 4 is a reduced broken sectional view of the receiving die and sectional view of the plaiter front elevation of' ring, showing some of the fingers of the forming die and their supports removed; F ig. 5 is a full size upper plan view of the upper plaiter fingers and their hinged supports on line (tra of Fig. 1; also an upper plan view of the plaiter ring and its plaiter fingers and a paper blank interposed between the upper and lower plaiterngers; Fig. 6 is a full size central sectional view of the inner and per plaiter fingers with said fingers in open position, broken view of the guide Jfor the inner head and connecting rods `for said head; F ig. 7 is a full sized upper plan view of the lower plaitcr-fingers and plaiter ring; Fig. 8 is a sectional view of Fig. 7 through lines I); Fig. 9 is a full size detail upper plan view of one of the lower plaiter fingers and its support? Fig. 10 is a full size elevation of the plaiter ring, upper and lower fingers engaging a partially plaited paper blank; Fig. 11 is a the lower plaiter fingers and their supports, broken view of the former head, showing outer vheads carrying the up' full size detail view ot Patented Jan. 12, 1 915.

91o. serial No. 562,857.

the fingers engaged therewith; Fig. 12 is a broken detail view of the spring arms adapted for engagement with the mechanism connected with upper plaiter fingers;..

Fig. 13 is a detail view of a plaited cup; Fig. 14; is a broken view of the upper edge of the cup shown at Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a view of one of' the lower plaiter fingers and its support, and broken view of the former head; and Fig. 16 is broken view of the upper edge of' a partially plaitedvcup.

1 represents the gate having the slides 1a adapted to have a reciprocatory movement in the ways 2. These ways are adapted to be attached to a machine (not shown) and the mechanism for actuating and timing the movements of the gatevare so well known in mechanics that adetailed description of the saine would be superfiuous.

XVithin the body of the gate is located the slide or carrier 3 secured to the lower end of' the tube 4, and the upper end of' this tube is secured to the head 5 carrying the arms G, which arms are pivoted thereto. These arms are under thel constant tension of the springs 7 as shown at Figs. 1 and 2.

8 is a rod located in the tube l having a movement independent of the movement of the gate. and carrying the' head 9 and rolls 10 for the purpose to be hereinafter more fully described. The lower end ofsrod 8 carries the arms 10EL adapted to have a ver tical movement in the slots 3a of the slide 3, and 11 are rods connecting said arms with the head 12 (see also Figs. 6 and 10)'slidaifly mounted on the cylindrical portion 3b of the slide 3.

13 is a former head having the cylindrical recess 13a of a diameter large enough to permit of a free vertical movement of the inner head 12. rThe outer head 13 serves as a Aformer to give -the initial shape to a paper cup, presently to be described, and it also carries the series of folding plaiter fingers 1e radially disposed (Fig. 5) about 'are `pivotally lsupported on the pins 17 of the said fingers and the pins 18 ofsaid inner head. Slots 13b are providediin the ports are shownmore clearly at Fig. 11,

taohed in axial relationl with the body of and they are pivotally connected together bv the pins 25. This is securely atthe gate in any suitable vmanner (not shown). Each of the supports 24 has the elongated notch 24a in its upper edge, and 26 is a retaining ring secured by the screws 27 to the plaiter ring 21. This retaining ring, while permitting of a free longitudinal movement of the supports 24, also limits their inward travel to the normal position shown at Fig. 8. 28 is an annular groove in the periphery of the plaiter ring 21 adapted to receive the spring 29, which spring also enters the outer forked end of the supports to maintain said supports in their normal inward position. As the supports are made of thin metal, a lwider bearing surface for said spring is provided by the right angle projection 30 integral with said supports.

Operation: The several parts of the device being in normal position as shown at Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the circular paper blank 31 (see also Fig. 5) is placed upon the plaiter fingers of the plaiter ring and is centrally located thereon by means of the raised edge 21", Fig. 7, while the pins 32 simply serve the purpose of readily guiding the paper blank into its place.

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be observed that the upper. and lower fingers break joints or interlock with each other, when broughttogether, proportionately to the st vle of plait required.

The downward movement of the gate 1 will bring the upper plaiter fingers indirect contact with the paper blank, and the pressure of the bottom surface of the former head 13 against the inner ends of the lower plaiter fingers will depress said inner ends and elevate the outer ends of said fingers as shown at Fig. 10. This contact of the former head against the short ends of the lower plaiter fingers would cause the longer or outer ends of said fingers to travel upward faster than the upper plaiter fingers, which would make it impossible to form aplait. Therefore, to form a plait, it is absolutely imperative that the paper should be kept taut, and to keep it taut both sets of fingers must travel in perfect unison for a greater'part of the distance through which they move. This synchronous movement of both sets of fingers is effected through the resistance offered by the curved face c of the spring actuated arms '6 acting against the` rolls 10 to slow down or check the two rapid upward movement of rod 8. Vhile both sets of plaiter fingers are thus simultaneously moving upward, or, in other words, closing about the former head 13, the gate is still moving downward and carrying said head with it. This simultaneous upward movement 'of the fingers will continue until they occupy, approximately, the position shown at Fig. 10, when it will be necessary to instantaneously close the ilpper plaiter fingers and get them out of the way as soon as possible in order that the lower plaiter fingers may nish the partially formed plaits 31t shown at Fig. 16; This instautaneous closing of the upper plaiter fingers takes place just as soon as the rolls 10 pass the point d of thearms 6, whereupon these spring-actuated arms will be forced inward and suddenly lift the rod 8 and snap said fingers 14 into the grooves 13b of the former,

head 13 and flush with the outer surface' of said head. The position of the rolls 10 with respect to the upper curved surface e of the arms 6 when this sudden lifting of the rod 8 is effected, is shown at Fig.v 12, and it is this-curved surface or edge of said arms that effects such upward movement of the rod. In themeantime, the gate is still descending with the inner ends of the lower set of plaiter fingers in contact with the partially formed cup, and the forcing of thispartially formed cup through the central circular opening 21, Fig. 7, of the plaiter ring 21, will lay the plaits 31b parallel with each other, as shown at F ig.I 14. As the normal position of the inner ends of the supports of the lower plaiter fingers are inside of this central circular opening of the ring. it is necessary that these sup-` ports should retreat so that the upper and larger portion of the former head 13 may pass unobstructed through the ring. This is effected byV the engagement of the lower edges of the inner ends ofV these lower plaiter fingers contacting with the upper edges ofthe inner ends of the supports 24, as shown at Fig. 15, and said supports are thus forced back out of the way of the descending former head 13. As this former head is longer than the paper cup, said head will pass no farther into the ring 21 thancup through is necessary to carry the plaited the plaiter. ring into the die 33.

The blanks .when forced through the `plaiter ring will assumethe shape shown at- Fig. 13, and as the movable plaiter head is the same shape as the underlying die 33, Flg. 4, the head willseat the plaited cup lnto the die with force su cient to make it conform to the shape of the d1 and head. As

soon, therefore, as the plaited cup has been v edges c thus deposited in the die,the gate will begin its upward movement, and when the lower projecting edge of said head contacts with the inner rends of the lower plaiter fingers, Aas shown at Fig. 11, said fingers will be thrown back into their normal horizontal position again. During this upward movement the upper plaiter fingers lll are still closed within the former head 13, but when the lower plaiterfingers are leveled or thrown into the horizontal position before mentioned, and the gate has ascended nearly to its full upward position, the upper end.

of rod 8 will contact with a stop (not shown), and thus arrest the further upward movement of said rod. This sudden checking of the rod will force rolls 1'0 by the points d of the arms 6, and its downward speed will be accelerated by the curved of said arms,l which accelerated mavement will throw the lingers 14: out into the horizontal position shown at Figs. l and 2. All parts will then be in'their normal position and in readiness for a repetition of the plaiting operation above described. rl`he spring 34; serves the purpose of maintaining normal contact or engagement between the gate l and the arm carrying head' 5, but it .is more particularly adapted to serve as a relief for the mechanism connected with the former head` and thus pre vent damage occurring to such mechanism should the Aplaiter ring chance to get out of axial alinement with said former head, in which case said head would yield back and not suffer by the impact. The head of the screw 35, Fig. 2, engaging with the groove 36 of the gate, operates to prei-ent rotation or `|turning of the carrier 3 and thus maintain the proper position of the upper plaiter fingers with respect to Vthe lower plaiter fingers. a

As the gist of mv invention relates principally to the two -sets of plaiter fingers and their combined action to effect the plaiting operation, l do not wish to be confined tovthe exact mechanism shown for actuating said fingers, as such mechanism may be replaced by other well known mechanisms capable of effecting the same purpose. lWhile l show in detail certain mechanism to offer the necessary resistance to the'upper plaiter fingers during a certain period of their upward or closing movement, hold myself at liberty to employ any other well known means to eifect the same purpose.

The peculiar form of the gate and the mechanism for operating the same, asbefore mentioned, is immaterial. l/Vhile l show the plaiter ring as stationary, and the upper plaiter fingers movable toward the plaiter ring, it will be understood that this movement could be reversed, or both the upper plaiter fingers and the plaiter ring Nor do I wish to be confined to the exact means which I show for throwing back the plaiting fingers of the plaiter ring by the contact of their inner ends with the former head as it withdraws from the die, as equivalent means could be employed to bring about this result. These fingers could readily be so balanced that they would fall by gravity as soon as they were clear of said head, or be actuated by springs.

As it is important that the plaiter ngers in the plaiter ring should have a radial movement toward and from the center of the ring', the ,support or carrier 24 is not absolutely essential to effect such radial movement, for it can readily be seen, by one skilled in the art, that the supports can be dispensed with and the fingers operated in the slots of the ring without a support.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a paper plaiting device, a plaiter ring having radially disposed grooves in its surface, plaiter finger supports located in said grooves and .longitudinally movable therein, plaiter fingers pivoted to said supports, combinedwith a plaiter finger carrying head adapted to cooperate with said plaiter ring fingers in plaiting a paper blank. Y

2.In a paper plaiting device, a plaiter ring having a central opening and a series of grooves radiating therefrom, plaiter finger supports normally actuated spring tension toward said opening, plaiter fingers pivoted to said supports, combined with a plaiterfinger carrying head adapted to coperate with said plaiter ring fingers in plaiting a paper blank.

3. ln a paper plaiting device, a plaiter ring having a central opening and a series of grooves radiating therefrom, plaiter finger supports longitudinally movable in said grooves and normally actuated under spring tension toward said opening, means for limiting their inward travel, plaiter fingers pivoted to said supports, combined with a .plaiter finger carrying head adapted to coniovable in said grooves with their inner ends projecting within the central opening,

said plaiter finger carrying head adapted to actuate and cooperate with the plaiter ring fingers to plait an interpsed paper blank and firmly swage or lay the plaits one upon las under the other by a forcible engagement with the walls of the central opening of the ring, and deposit a plaited cup below the ring.

5. In a paper plaiting device, a plaiter ring having a central opening therethrough and radial grooves in its upper surface, pivota'lly supported plaiter fingers in said grooves and normally projecting into `said opening under spring tension, said fingers adapted to have both a tilting and a reciprocating radial movement, combined with a plaiter finger carrying head adapted to contact with' the projecting ends of the plaiter fingers ofthe ring to effect a tilting and outward radial movement of said ring fingers.

6. The combination with a movable plaiter finger carrying head, of a plaiter ring having a central opening -therethrough and grooves in its upper surface radiating from said opening, plaiter ngers located in said grooves adapted to have a radial movement therein to and from said opening, said headl adapted to coperate'with the ring fingers to plait an interposed paper blank and firmly lay said plaits by forcible engagement with the walls of said opening and deposit a plaited cup below the ring.l

7. In a paper plaiting device, a movable plaiter finger carrying head, an underlying plaiter finger carrying ring having radially arranged grooves in its vupper surfacein which the fingers of the ring are adapted to have both a radial and a tilting movei ment thro-ugh the medium of the head, a receiving die underlying the plaiter ring and shaped 'to conform to the shape of the head so that, when a plaited blank has been forced through the ring, it will be firmly seated in the receiving die and made toconform thereto by the pressure exertedfby the' head.

8. In apaper plaiting device, a movable plaiter finger carrying head, an underlying plaiter ring having a central opening and radially disposed grooves, pivotally supported plaiter fingers movably located in said grooves with theirinner ends normally projecting in said opening under spring tension so that, when the head c ontacts with such projecting ends of the ring fingers in forcing an interposed paper blank through the ring, the ring fingers will be tilted and'forced back to allow the head to pass through the-ring and vet maintain constant engagement with the head by means of the spring tension. s

9. In a paper plaiting de vlce, a reelproeating gate, a carrier associated therewith and adapted tofhave a longitudinal 'movement with the gate and independently thereof, a relief spring for the carrier. a head` radially arranged plaiter fingers pivotally supported thereto, a movable member linked to the fingers, a rod connected to said `member and adapted to move with the gate and independently thereof, spring actuated arms, a support therefor, means connecting said support with the carrier, said arms having upper and lower curved surfaces and means on said rod to engage said surfaces so that, when the gate is moving in one direction,said arms will offer a yielding spring resistance to the movement of the rod in the opposite direction and thus slow down the closing movement of the plaiter fingers until the rod yhas been brought under the infiuence of the upper curved surfaces of the arms when said arms will give a sudden impulse to the. rod to close the fingers about the head.

10. A paper plaiting device comprising two sets of radially disposed and pivoted plaiter fingers, a former head carrying one of said sets and a plaiter ring having a central opening adapted to admit the head and carrying the other set of lingers, means for bringing said opposed sets of fingers -int0 close interlocking relation to force an interposed paper blank entirely through the plaiter ring and plait the same during its passage therethrough, and means for applying spring tension on the plaiter ring fingers so that both sets will move in unison during the initial plaiting operation.

l1. A paper plaiting device comprising two sets of opposed and radially disposed plaiter fingers, a head carrying one set and a. plaiter ring carrying the other set, said ring having an opening to admit said head and having slots radiating from said opening to admit the plaiter fingers of the ring, means for bringing the two sets of fingers interposed paper blank, means vfor applying spring tension to one set of fingers to cause bcth sets to move in unison during the initial plaiting operation,- the ring fingers being normally`advanced into the die opening and yieldingly maintained there under spring tension and adapted to be 'moved back by the head as it advances into said die opening.

12. In a paper plaiting device, a head having a curved outer surface, plaiter fingers pivotally associated with the head and radiating therefrom, a plaiter ring having grooves in its upper surface radiating from the central opening of the ring, plaiter fingers whose inner ends normally project into said opening under spring tension mounted in vsaid grooves and adapted to be engaged by the head tol plait an interposed blank, a receiving die underlying the ring and shaped to conform to the head and adapted to receive a plaited blank carried by the head through the ring and adapted to be firmly seated in the die. v

into close interlocking relation to plait an f ceiving die located below the opening in the ring, said head adapted to coperate with the plaiter ring fingers and carry an interposed blank through the ring and forcibly seat a plaited cup in the receiving die,

and leave said cup in the die when said 10 head retreats. V

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY A., HOUSE.

Witnesses:

M. E. BECKWITH, F. H. BECKWITH. 

